Operation Lights Out aims to keep your children safe on Halloween

(WECT) - Tuesday night is a big night for your children as they dress up in Halloween costumes and hit the streets to trick or treat.

Parents can rest assured that registered sex offenders will be under close watch thanks to a nationwide program called Operation Lights Out.

In New Hanover County, two-person probation officer teams will be going door to door making sure the 56 offenders on supervised probation have their porch lights off and are away from children.

Officers will be doing the same in Bladen County, checking on 18 offenders as well as 74 in Brunswick County, and 27 in Columbus County. No information was readily available for Pender County.

"Halloween is different than any other night of the year because we have so many children in our communities and we have to go actively to these doors," said Mike Frazier, judicial district manager for Bladen, Columbus and Brunswick counties. "What we are doing is reducing the likelihood of these offenders coming into contact with those children."

Offenders must abide by a curfew from 6-9 p.m., meaning they have to be at home or at their place of business. They cannot participate in any Halloween related activities.